Hydrothermal synthesis of Ce: Lu2SiO5 scintillator powders

The synthesis of cerium-doped lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) polycrystalline powders was investigated by a hydrothermal process. The precursor was obtained by the hydrothermal reaction of Lu(NO3)3 with Na2SiO3 at 200 °C for 10 h by using urea as precipitator, followed by a calcination under proper temperatures. The results of XRD indicated that the precursor was crystallized into A-type LSO phase at 1000 °C, and transferred to B-type LSO phase when temperature was raised above 1050 °C. After being heated at 1250 °C for 2 h, single phase of B-type LSO powder was synthesized with homogeneous distribution of particle size ranging from 200 to 300 nm. The photoluminescence spectrum of as-synthesized LSO: Ce powders showed a typical broad emission peak centered at 404 nm, corresponding to the 5d1–4f transition of Ce3+.